Over 150 Acts to play the 3rd MugStock Festival next weekend

OVER 150 acts have been announced for this year’s MugStock Festival, making it the biggest yet.

Homegrown musical heroes The Supernaturals will headline the festival which returns to Mugdock Country Park, near Glasgow from Friday July 28 to Monday July 31.

The band notched up two top 40 albums in the UK and Japan, as well as seven UK Top 50 singles between 1996 and 1998 - including Smile, Lazy Lover, Day Before Yesterday’s Man and I Wasn’t Built To Get Up.

The Supernaturals were formed via a shared passion for music by James McColl, Derek McManus and Gavin Crawford who grew up close to Mugdock Country Park, making this a homecoming gig for them. Lead singer and guitarist James, said: "We're really looking forward to playing MugStock. When we were kids we used to go fishing for pike in Mugdock Loch. It was a bit of a wilderness in those days - the main buildings were just old ruins with the remnants of a zoo - but it's completely changed now."

The Supernaturals will be joined by The John Langan band whose music is rooted in Celtic Folk and encompasses Balkan, Roma and Flamenco elements, fuelled by a visceral punk spirit. Also on the bill are Glasgow legends, the Amphetameanies, pop rock sensations Single By Sunday, renowned singer Rachel Sermanni, alt blues guitarist and songwriter Dave Arcari.

Festival goers should expect to bounce and skank to the mighty Bombskare: recently named UK’s Best Part-Time Band at the climax of the BBC 4 series of the same name. Also appearing across MugStock’s 6 stages (3 open air, 2 covered, 1 indoors) are Scottish Jazz Award nominees Fat Suit, Trembling Bells, The Imagineers, China Shop Bull, The Hostiles and high energy fusion brass band Orkestra Del Sol who return as part of their farewell tour after closing the first MugStock in 2015 (on which occasion they also played a memorable game of musical hide and seek around Mugdock Castle, one of the park’s most striking attractions). The Glade, the festival’s dance tent will profile some of the best of Scotland’s DIY electronic music scene including sets from Frogbeats, Making Things Happen, Electrikal, We Should Hang Out More and Rebecca Vasmant.

Now in its third year, MugStock calls itself a “Festival of Music & Merriment for All Ages” and has been praised for its safe, relaxed atmosphere, and mix of music, theatre, art, comedy, performance, crafts, nature, and food and drink and more – attracting thousands of people from all over Scotland and beyond. Those under 12 get free tickets, and will enjoy a huge programme of shows, and activities including face painting, a musical theatre workshop, kid-friendly day time DJ sets, capoeira, crafts, headset disco and a Treasure Hunt.

Only eight miles outside Glasgow, MugStock is an intimate, family-friendly celebration of performance, art and our natural heritage. Festival-goers have the chance to enjoy other parts of the park, including the 14th century Mugdock Castle, gothic mansion Craigend Castle, lochs, ponds, and a Victorian walled garden – which the festival have rebranded as The Jolly Lovely Garden, the festival’s family-friendly heart.

MugStock is all the more remarkable for being run by a team of volunteers, on a not-for-profit basis. The festival receives support from funders including EventScotland – part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, LEADER & The Hugh Fraser Foundation, which allows the organisers to keep ticket prices fair.

"It's fantastic for East Dunbartonshire to have an event of this size and profile on our doorstep,” said East Dunbartonshire Councillor Jim Gibbons. “Mugdock offers a great mix of natural beauty, facilities and accessibility - the perfect setting for MugStock. As well as boosting visitor numbers, MugStock has helped to introduce a whole new audience to the park - one of the jewels in Scotland's crown - where there's a wealth of activities, attractions and events all year round."

MugStocks’ volunteers say they are motivated by the “sheer love of bringing lovely people together to have a great time in a beautiful place”.

“We pride ourselves on being as inclusive, accessible and family friendly as possible,” said programming director Nelson . “Whether you have never been to a festival before or are a seasoned festy goer you will feel right at home at Mugstock. “Our beautiful walled garden features storytelling, workshops, craft activities, performances and even a disco especially for wee ones. “This year we have added loads of new features and improvements that we are really excited about including showers, a steam room and Wifi. We have also enhanced the food and drink offering, with a bigger selection of street food and a bespoke MugStock Ale made for us by local business Jaw Brew. We are especially delighted to announce that Headset Disco will be at the festival this year so prepare to get your silent groove on”.